Research performed at a level 4 NICU comparing the average weight gain amongst two feeding techniques.

1. Comparison of Cue-based Feeding and Traditional Feeding and Average Weight Gain in Neonatal Intensive Care
Unit Patients
Madison Geib, Student, Hope College Nursing Department
Beth Huizinga, MSN, RNC-NIC, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital
Emilie Dykstra Goris, PhD, RN, Hope College Nursing Department
A proper approach to feeding is important in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), because it leads to improved
patient health outcomes in the hospital and after discharge. This study’s purpose was to determine whether Cue-based
feeding versus traditional feeding practices led to greater average increase in weight among NICU patients. This study
was structured around Virginia Henderson’s Need Theory, which focuses on nurses increasing clients’ independence to
promote continued healing during and after hospitalization. This non-experimental, quantitative study used a convenience
sample of 103 preterm and very preterm patients from a Midwest NICU. 61.19% (n=62) patients used traditional feeding
and 39.81 (n=41) patients used Cue-based feeding. Analyses focused on weight change for infants that were given Cue-
based feeding only versus traditional feeding only. SPSS software version 23 and an independent t-test were used for
data analysis. There is a significant relationship between average weight gain and feeding type (t=-2.17, p=0.004). The
mean weight change was .631 kg (SD=0.557) for Cue-based feeding infants and .394 kg (SD=0.492) for traditionally fed
infants. Cue-based feeding patients had significantly greater weight gain than traditionally fed infants. In conclusion,
Cue-based feeding is the preferred method for greater weight gain, which leads to better feeding after discharge and less
oral aversion. Limitations include convenience sampling, not all confounding variables accounted for, the length of time
spent in the NICU was not measured, and only one site was used. Nurses must be aware of differences in weight change
between feeding methods to encourage participation in Cue-based feeding.

2. References
Pickler, R., Reyna, B., Wetzel, P., Lewis, M., (2015). Effect of four approaches to oral feeding progression on
clinical outcomes in preterm infants. Nursing Research and Practice. 2015, 1-7. Doi:
10.1155/2015/71682
Shacker, C. (2013). Cue-based Co-regulated feeding in the neonatal intensive care unit: Supporting parents in
learning to feed their preterm infant. Newborn & Infant Nursing Reviews, 13 (51-55).